"I asked specifically for that and was told I could get it," said Carstian, who lives in Southeast Portland. A week or so later, he said, a DirecTV representative set up the satellite and had Carstian sign off, promising that another installer would be around to set up the Internet.

Sure enough, one was - with a Qwest system. Verizon, it turns out, wasn't available in Carstian's neighborhood.

Not a fan of Qwest, Carstian asked multiple DirecTV representatives on two different days to cancel his satellite account before he found someone who agreed to waive DirecTV's $460
early-cancelation fee and send boxes he could use to return the satellite equipment. A week later, on Aug. 8, Carstian received a notice that DirecTV had already taken the $460 early-
cancelation fee out of his bank account through an auto-pay program he was unaware of setting up.

"I hate to be cheated, and that's how I feel," said Carstian, adding that a DirecTV customer-service supervisor told him there was no way she could waive the fee. "For me, that's a sum of money."

The Desk checked into Carstian's complaint, looking on DirecTV's Web site to see if there was a way for other potential customers to confirm ahead of time where Verizon Internet --spotty in the Portland area -- is available. Robert Mercer, a DirecTV spokesman, looked, too. He couldn't find a search page on his company's Web site, only a phone number -- the same one Carstian called, only to receive erroneous information.

Another DirecTV customer representative recommended calling Verizon directly to find out. However, the number she provided had been disconnected. The Desk scanned Verizon's Web page and found a search page, www22.verizon.com/Residential/Broadband/, that allows customers to check availablity, and a phone number 800-567-6789, where a representative confirmed in five minutes that Verizon was not an option in Carstian's neighborhood.

Mercer, the DirecTV spokesman, looked into Carstian's case and said the company refunded $450 this past week to cover the cancelation fee, along with an additional $74.99 refund on an NFL game package that Carstian said he did not order.

Mercer said he wasn't sure why Carstian was told he could receive Verizon. He said the refund was granted because DirecTV has a policy that if a customer complains with 15 days of purchase that their service doesn't match what they ordered, they can cancel without paying a penalty. The policy applies only to customers in 22 states, including Oregon, he said.

Mercer also said DirecTV customers who are having problems can call his company's customer-service line at 1-800-347-3288. If a problem is not resolved, he recommended customers specifically ask to have their case "escalated."

"Our policy is that they can escalate their issue to a back office department where it will be
reviewed," he said.

Consumers who who have questions or complaints about cable operators such as Comcast can call their local commission.Multnomah County: Mt. Hood Cable Regulatory Commission at 503-823-5385Washington & Clackamas counties: Metropolitan Area Communications Commission at 503-645-7365Clark County: Clark County/Vancouver Telecommunications Commission at 360-696-8233

However, those office cannot help DirecTV customers, who must file
any complaints with the Oregon Attorney General's Office at
503-934-4400 or 1-877-877-9392; or Washington Attorney General's Office at 1-800-692-5082.

DirecTV, a company based in El Segundo, Calif., received a C rating from the Better Business
Bureau in part because of the volume of complaints it has received nationwide -- 20,238 over the past three years. Of those complaints, the company gave full refunds to 3,208 customers, yet refused refunds to another 6,238.

The bureau, however, considers the C rating acceptable, meaning it would not discourage consumers from doing business with DirecTV.

Since January 2007, the state's Attorney General's Office has received more than 200 complaints about DirecTV. That's a high number, said spokesman Jake Weigler, adding that the office often sees more than usual numbers of complaints in the TV sector.

His advice? Get it in writing.

"Those salespeople have a strong incentive to sell you," he said. "The burden is on the consumer to ask for that deal in writing - either by e-mail or fax -- and if the salesperson refuses, the consumer needs to know that issue will be a tough, he-said, she-said to resolve."
-- Laura Gunderson

Have a consumer concern or question? Contact Laura Gunderson at the Complaint Desk: 503-221-8378 or complaintdesk@news.oregonian.com.